Taking God's Word to Heart

The Word of God was never more alive than when my son was dying. It was a lifeline! I could hardly wait to get into it every day. As I sat at Ben’s hospital bed, my life depended on it. Daily “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.” My prayer was that, “Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him” (Ps. 40:1-3). As a result, God’s Word overflowed out of my grieving heart and into the hearts of others through means I’ll never fully understand. I’m so thankful that I had already learned the principles of Jer. 17:8-9, planting myself in the soil of God’s love and sending my roots into the living water of His Word, so that in that year of drought, I didn’t cease to bear fruit. 

YOUR WORD I HAVE HIDDEN IN MY HEART

Here’s how I’ve learned to hide God’s Word in my heart.

1.  Take God’s Word to Heart

The first time I realized that God’s Word could actually play a vital part in my life was after a year of doubting God’s very existence. A friend encouraged me to read through the Psalms and Proverbs, and for the first time in my life I took it to heart—literally. My thirsty heart sopped up every authentic prayer that the psalmist prayed. I took a highlighter and madly marked up the pages, dating verses, passages, and truths that spoke life into my searching heart. I took comfort in discovering that others in the Bible had actually experienced the struggles I was facing—and were honest enough to admit it. God’s Word gradually shed light into the fog that had clouded my spiritual vision. 

Two years later, still an infant in the faith, the Lord amazingly paved the way for me to go to Bible college where I learned that living the Christian life was not all fun and games. It was as much about developing spiritual disciplines that would “produce a harvest of righteousness and peace as I was trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). And God’s Word was the Lord’s tool “to teach, reprove, correct, and train me in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). It was discipline alright!

A year after graduation, I married my Bible school sweetheart and simultaneously became a pastor’s wife. With all eyes on me, I was asked to consider teaching a weekly women’s Bible study. Should I confess to them that I had to use my table of contents to refer to the books of the Bible? And me—virtually Scripturally illiterate—teach and provide biblical insights to a group of women who I felt should be teaching me? As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. Weekly, as I prepared my lessons, I asked God to “write His Word on the tablet of my heart” (Prov. 7:3).

When I began to have children, my heart was awakened to the relevance of God’s Word in my day-to-day activities. Deuteronomy 6:5-9 was the prayer of my mother’s heart: instructing me to “impress God’s words on my children; talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deut. 6:7). However, I couldn’t impress anything on my children’s hearts that hadn’t already left an impression on my own. So, as each of my children was born, I prayed that God would give me a verse that I could pray over each of them as they grew. I took advantage of every opportunity I had to speak God’s Word into their hearts. I posted Scripture around my home; making it part of the décor. It left quite an impression!

2.  Taste and See that God’s Word is Good

I can attest to Jeremiah “when he ate God’s words; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (Jer. 15:16). I want to taste and savor every morsel as I digest God’s Word. I also want to enjoy the ambiance and entire dining experience. So I light some candles, put on soft worship music, and make it a date. Some days I only have time to snack on God’s Word. But regardless, it’s important to keep my spiritual appetite hungry and craving for more. 

After my fourth baby was born, it was time to freshen up my spiritual pantry and add some new flavors. Experiencing long days and sleepless nights, I struggled to stay awake, let alone focus on Bible reading and prayer. That’s when I added prayer journaling to the menu. Not only did it provide an active way to engage in my time with the Lord, I wanted my children to, one day, read firsthand about my challenges and victories. Most of all, I wanted them to see how God’s faithfulness was so intricately woven and evident throughout my walk with Him. 

Something profound happens when we “pour out our hearts out to him” (Ps. 62:8). The Word of God pours back into our hearts—because “[He] desired faithfulness even in the womb” (Ps. 51:6). I personally don’t ever run out of things to talk about! But the beautiful thing is He doesn’t either! “His mercies are new every morning” (Lam. 3:23). 

As we walk along, as we do the housework, as I’m wrestling with concerns, and as I meander in the garden, “He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own” (In the Garden by C. Austin Miles). The more conversation we share around His Word, the more it becomes a part of our everyday conversation and the more it is integrated into our daily life. It’s helpful to navigate through God’s Word by asking questions, such as:

• What was it that stood out?
• What impression did it leave upon my heart?
• What did I learn?
• What do I need to change as a result of what I’ve read?
• What is God trying to say to me through this verse or passage?
• How can I apply this truth to my life?

Typically, I read until something strikes, or stands out to me. It can be a word, a verse, an entire passage, a thought, a concept, a truth, a principle or theme that resonates with my heart. Sometimes I’m stopped at the first word or phrase. Often I have to read a passage before something jumps off the page at me. Still other times, and given the time I have, I am prompted to read an entire book of the Bible until my heart stands at attention. I have yet to go hungry. 

3.  Make God’s Word “Relative”

The more acquainted I become with God’s Word, the more I grow to love those within it—my biblical relatives and ancestors. Many are mentioned in Hebrews 11, known as the “Hall of Faith.” I allow the lessons they learned “by faith…” to speak into my own situations. I’ve sojourned with Abraham on his journey of faith during times of ministry transition. I’ve met Hagar during times in the wilderness. I’ve sought Esther out amid times I’ve questioned God’s sovereignty. Martha and I have become well-acquainted on several occasions regarding hospitality, grief, and her honest relationship with Jesus. I’ve learned to appreciate her sister, Mary, who understood the value of sitting at Jesus’ feet and learning of Him. 

While I don’t dare boast on my memorization skills, I might surprise myself with how many verses in the Bible I can quote. I certainly know the value of “hiding God’s Word in my heart” (Ps. 119:11). And I have gathered some successful memorizing techniques through the years. I’ve memorized many verses through song. But more than word-for-word memory, I’ve taken and applied significant verses to my life in every aspect of my life, in every season of my life. 

God’s Word comes alive as we alert ourselves to God’s presence, heightening our awareness of Him, whether it’s in a conversation, circumstances, challenges, lessons we’re learning, messages we’re teaching, relationships we’re involved with, guidance we’re requiring, or wisdom we’re seeking. “Jesus was the Word and the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14). He spoke the Word. So I figure, why can’t I?

The more I grow in my knowledge of Scripture, the more I realize that “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3-8). One way I’ve sought to access the power of His Word is by claiming one of His precious promises every New Year—taking God’s Word literally—as a focal point throughout the year. For example: In one place of ministry our home address was 245 John St. I immediately looked up John 2:4-5 and made “whatever He tells you to do, do it” our household theme. Likewise, living out and speaking the Word has transformed the way I approach Scripture on a daily basis and gives me an excited anticipation of what the Lord might have to say on any given day.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul…making wise the simple… giving joy to the heart… and light to the eyes. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Ps. 19:7-11). You see, God’s Word is, indeed, “alive and active.” In fact, it’s a lifeline. Allow His truth to penetrate and judge the thoughts and attitudes of your heart (Heb. 4:12). Infuse it into your heart. Weave His promises into your life. And as His thoughts become your thoughts (Isa. 55:8), they will inevitably overflow into every single part of your life and into the lives of others. 

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